Next up on my Christmas countdown is Choc Lit author, Marie Laval, with her festive read, Bluebell’s Christmas Magic…

Welcome to my blog, Marie. I love the cover and have your book on my to-be-read list, as I can’t wait to read it, perhaps you could tell me how your characters will be spending Christmas?

Thank you very much, Carol, for welcoming me on your blog for this special Christmas countdown! My heroine Cassie Bell loves Christmas. She loves it so much her grandfather often says she must be an elf in disguise and he even bought her a silly green hat with red pompoms. In Red Moss, Cassie’s little Cumbrian village, Christmas is taken very seriously indeed. There is a Christmas Fair, a grotto with a different Santa every year, and a standup comedy competition at the local pub that Cassie’s granddad has won for the past fifteen years. Unfortunately Stefan Lambert, the grumpy Frenchman Cassie has been hired to look after during his stay at the local manor house, has completely different ideas about Christmas. In fact, he has travelled all the way to the Lake District to forget all about Christmas… Will Cassie change his mind, and his heart?

OO I love the sound of this, and for a bit more of a teaser for those who are tempted, here’s the blurb: 

A gorgeous new Christmas story from the author of best selling novel Little Pink Taxi
A flick of a feather duster and a sprinkle of Christmas magic …
Cassie Bell is used to mess. Her cleaning business, Bluebell Cleaning, is well known in the Cumbrian village of Red Moss. However, now it’s almost Christmas and Cassie has a slightly messier situation to deal with than she’s used to.

She’s been hired to help Stefan Lambert, an injured army helicopter pilot who’s staying at the local Belthorn Manor whilst he recovers. Stefan resents Cassie’s interference and is definitely not looking for Christmas cheer. But Cassie prides herself on sparkling surfaces – so, can she bring some festive sparkle to Stefan’s life too?

Click to buy the book.

So with your character’s divided over how to spend Christmas, I am intrigued to know how you will be spending this festive season… 

This year, I am hoping to spend the Christmas holidays at home in Lancashire with my family. On Christmas day, we usually have a lovely lunch, followed by ice-cream (Poires Belle-Hélène are my favourite!) before having a good laugh at the crackers my daughter makes herself, and which include jokes, Christmas compliments and New Year improvement tips! After the meal, we usually collapse on the sofa and watch a comedy or two.

That sounds a lot of fun and makes me wonder what my children would include if they were left in charge of the Christmas crackers!

Before you go, Marie, I have five quick questions for you from my Christmas selection:

Christmas jumper or posh frock? Christmas jumper, and very loose and comfortable leggings!

Real or artificial Christmas tree? Definitely a real tree. We have had the same three for the past four years. It lives in a tub in the garden, and comes back inside for the festive season! We use the same decorations, but buy a new one every year.

Mince pie or Christmas pudding? Neither! Being French, I had never eaten either mince pies or Christmas puddings before coming to live in England, and they’re still not my favourite treats. Instead, I bake shortbread or chocolate biscuits, or my mother’s almond macaroons, and chocolate Yule log, of course.

Best cracker joke? The jokes my daughter makes up when she does her own Christmas crackers. I used some of them in Bluebell’s Christmas Magic. Here is one of them: ‘What did the policeman say to the naughty Christmas pudding? I’m taking you into custardy.’

Favourite Christmas song? For me, nothing can beat ‘Last Christmas I gave you my heart’ by Wham.

What a great idea with your tree, and I have a liking for macaroons too 😉

Thank you so much for joining in with my Christmas countdown and I wish you and your family a very happy Christmas. And here’s a joke for your daughter: Why was the snowman staring at the carrots? Because he was picking his nose! xx

About the author:

Originally from Lyon in France, Marie Laval now lives in Lancashire with her family. She works full-time as a modern languages teacher and in her spare time she loves writing romance and dreaming about romantic heroes. She writes both historical and contemporary romance and best-selling Little Pink Taxi was her debut romantic comedy novel with Choc Lit.

She belongs to Authors on the Edge and writes short stories for the best selling Miss Moonshine’s anthologies. She is a member of the Romantic Novelists’ Association and the Society of Authors. Her native France, as well as her passion for history and research, very much influences her writing, and all her novels have what she likes to call ‘a French twist’!

You can find out more about Marie here:  Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest 

Don’t miss author Hannah Pearl on my blog on Monday 2nd December, for more festive fun. xx